Steelers, authority try to settle Heinz Field beef

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers and the taxpayer-funded city-county Sports and Exhibition Authority say they’re going to try to settle a dispute over who must pay most of the estimated $30 million cost to add 3,000 seats to Heinz Field.

An Allegheny County judge in June rejected the teams’ claim that the authority must pay most of the money, but agreed to hold a trial on the matter Dec. 4.

But now, both sides say they’ll try to work out a deal before then after both sides met with the judge Thursday.

The Steelers’ say new seats at the 12-year-old stadium qualify as a “capital improvement” under which the authority must pay two-thirds of the cost. But the authority says the seats are only a “modification” under the language of the lease, meaning the Steelers pay the entire bill.